Flexible elastic coupling



D@ 6,' 1932- w. MULLER-Kaum 1,890,332

` FLEXIBLE ELASTIC COUPLING i med Aug. 2s, 1951 Patented Dec. 6,l 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WIL'HELM MLLEB-KEUTH, 0F HANOVER, GERMANY, .ASSIGNOR `'110 FIRM EISENWERK WLFEI, OF HANOVER-WULFEI", GERMANY FLEXIBLE ELASTIC COUPLI'NG Application led August 25, 1931, Serial No. 559,234,.and in vGermany September 11, 1930.

This invention relates to` improvements in flexible elastic couplings.

In a fiexible elastic couplin the elastic `members connecting the ends o both shafts effect the transmission by 'a lost-motion device connected to the other shaft and cooperating with the springs. With this conmotion device in regard to the spring is continuously changedl that likewise unfavorably affects the stresses exerted upon the springs.

According to the present invention an auxiliary member consisting of two or more parts is inserted between the lost-motion devices, mounted at the ends of the shafts, and the elastic members, and the said parts are arranged,.for instance, b means of a supporting member, such as a ox or pivot, coaxially so that they may be turned towards one another and may be swung in all directions regarding the ends of both shafts.

In this way the elasticvmembers are withdrawn from the influence of adisplacement of the shafts and the incalculable stresses occurring in the well-known couplings, because the box or pivot takes over the effect of the displacements of the shaft, which effect is absorbed by the elastic members in the Well-known coupling devices.

The invention is illustrated by way of exam le in the annexed drawing in which igs. l and 2 show the directions in which the ends of both shafts may be displaced in relation to each other.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section of a coupling constructed according to the invention, the box which keeps the elastic members together being shown wholly in crosssection, and the auxiliary body in which the springs are mounted being shown partially in cross-section and partially in elevation.

Fig. 4 is one half of a front elevation of the end of a shaft, whilst Figs. 5 to 8 show modifications of details of the coupling.-

On theends of the shafts a, a to be connected lost-motion devices b, b are wedged. c, c are two auxiliary members which are kept together by the box cl, d consisting of two halves screwed together.v 7", f are teeth mounted on the lost-motion devices b, b and engaging a corresponding toothing of the members c, c necting with each other the auxiliary members c, o. i is a ring forcing the springs g against the box 1L-d.

. g, g', g 'are springs con- In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the inner face of the annular member c is provided with a toothing 7c engaging a corresponding toothing of the lost-motion device b. In Fig. 7 the fiat springsg are replaced by helical springs o, o.

In Fig. 3 the two shafts are shown displaced in accordance with the possibility shown in Fig. 2. .This displacement has acted on the coupling in such a way that the toothings 7", f and those in the members c, c

have been displaced in relation to each other,

Whereas the auxiliarymember c, 0' and the springs g have retained the same position they had when the shafts a, a were c' axial.

The outer faces ofthe teeth f fire ballshaped to render possible Vor to facuitate the cooperation of the lost-motion devices b, b with the auxiliary members c, c. The ring z' may be replaced by a sheet metal disk or a helically wound wire.

In Fig. 6 the play ofthe box d and th auxiliary members o, o in relation to the shafts a, a or the lost-motion device b, bf

is warranted by arranging a globular ring surface a at the front fiange of the box d. The annular surface n is located approximately in the middle plane of the toothing c in a recess of the lost-motion device b. Now, as the toothing is no more the supporting element of the casing, it may` beformed to have normal addendum and root circles. The flat or helical springs g or o may be replaced by other elasticnnembers, such as ruber blocks or the like. To increase the yieldingness of the coupling several annular sockets c, c o" may be connected in series by the way of spring members as shown in Fw. 8. The invention may further be applied to continuous shafts in combination with ho1- low shafts; the hollow shaft may for-.m the hub body of a Wheel or another rotating machine element. I claim I 1. A exible elastic shaft coupling, comprising lost-motion devices fastened on the ends of the two shafts to be coupled, elastic members located between the said lost-motion devices, and auxiliary members connectin the said lost-motion devices with the sai elastic members and arranged coaxial and rotatable in relation to each other and capable of being swun in all directions in relation to the ends o both shafts.

2. A flexible elastic shaft coupling, comprising lostmotion devices fastened on the ends of the two shafts to be coupled, toothings on the said lostmotion devices, auxiliary members provided with toothin s to engage the first-named toothings, an elastic members connecting the said auxiliary memrs. f

3. A flexible elastic shaft coupling, comprising lost-motion devices fastened on the ends-ofthe two shafts to becoupled, toothin s on the said lost-motion devices, having ba shaped outer surfaces, auxiliary membersprovided with tocthings to engage the first-namedtoothings, and elastic members connectingthe 'said auxiliary members.

4. A yflexible"elastic shaft coupling, comprising lost-motion devices fastened on the lprising lost-mctiondevices fastened on the ends ofthe two shafts to be coupled, toothings on the said lostmotion devices. auxiliary members provided with toothings to en age the first-named toothings, elastic mem rs connecting the said auxiliary members, a casing enclosing the whole of the couplin devices, and recesses in the. front faces o the e lost-motion devices' adjacent the shafts, the front walls of the said casing .being bent to enter thesaid recesses and engaglng their cylindrical walls with a globular annular face in the middle plane of the toothings.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

WILHELM MLLER-KEUTH. 

